The following is the collective abbreviated independent evaluation by HWQ of these events:

Demographics Overall, there was an almost 3:1 male to female ratio for workshop attendees. The average age of participants across all workshops was 44 (at time of attendance). Slightly more than half of all participants practiced within RRMA 5 locations such as Stanthorpe, Ayr or Yarrabah.

·The proportion of participants that placed themselves within these top two ratings of ‘confident’ and ‘very confident’ was greater than 80% across each individual workshop.

·Combining all workshops, 75% rated their competence in procedural skills as ‘moderately high’ and ‘high’. The remaining 25% rated their skills as ‘average’.

·More than 80%, strongly agreed that the workshop favourably impacted across each of the key areas required.

·56% of rural practitioners ‘strongly agree’ that without CPD they would be less likely to remain in rural practice.

·88% of rural practitioners ‘strongly agree’ that access and participation within CPD activities contributes to their competence in practicing in rural and remote locations.

Summary

Rural practitioners strongly endorsed the workshop’s impact on their confidence in practicing in remote and rural locations. They also strongly supported the workshop in terms of the influence on their competency.

·A combined proportion of 71% responses indicated that participants ‘strongly agreed’ that the workshop content was relevant to the kinds of work that they do.

·The combined proportions and average ratings across each of the workshops illustrates participants solid endorsement of the workshop in addressing each of those five key areas including skill acquisition and relevancy to learning needs and work undertaken.

·73% of combined responses indicated that participants rated the pace and delivery of the workshop as ‘excellent’.

·70% of combined responses indicated that the quality of the teaching resources were of an ‘excellent’ standard.

·79% of combined responses rated the quality of the overall teaching to be ‘excellent’.

Participant comments

Examining the remarks made by participants both at the end of each day and at the finish of each workshop revealed a number of themes reinforcing earlier characteristics, particularly with regards to the quality of information and teaching.

Some of the major themes included:

The workshop and individual presentations were of a good quality.

For example:

“…Easily the best workshop I have attended.”

“One of the best courses I have been on.”

“Best CPD I’ve been to in years.”

“The most outstanding course by a single presenter [that] I have attended – extraordinary positive for general practitioners seeking to improve their skin cancer management.”